


Evolution of a Flame

by Pongowayo



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Mild Gore, Minor Character Death, Mystery, One-Sided Attraction, Protective Sokka (Avatar), Slow Burn, Sokkla, Time Skips, chi-eaters, my take on zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:46:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pongowayo/pseuds/Pongowayo
Summary: Councilman Sokka had been living a perfectly comfortable life in Republic City until the resurgence of a mysterious attack that had thrown his whole life upside down thirteen years prior. To get to the bottom of this, he seeks out the help of his old friend, Azula. It seems that the past had never stayed where it belonged... Sokkla slooowburn
Relationships: Azula/Sokka (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn’t every day that Councilman Sokka was called into Republic City’s Police Headquarters. Usually he would just show up unannounced in order to pay a visit to his best friend, Chief of Police Toph Beifong. But today’s courier had a grim expression on his face as he summoned the councilman. 

“Sir, Chief Beifong is on her way from the Dragon Flats and will meet with you in her office shortly,” a young cadet informed Sokka as he made his way through the usually bustling booking room. 

It seemed that today was even more chaotic despite the lack of foot traffic. Secretaries, cadets and officers were furiously writing memos and shouting at each other. The noises blended into one cacophony of barks and orders. 

“Thank you, Cadet Soo.” 

Sokka found his way through the familiar layout of the building and entered the chief’s office. He didn’t need to wait long before he heard the distinguishable voice of Chief Beifong.

“Make sure that Huard doesn’t fuck up the crime scene, understood Captain? That useless piece of shit cost us months in our investigation of the Tiger Ward burglaries. See if you can send out extra patrols to keep out any nosy reporters. I don’t want the public finding out until we have an idea of what we’re dealing with.” 

“Yes, Chief!”

“Dismissed. Snoozles… glad you’re here. We’ve got… I am not even sure I know what kind of situation we’re in.” Toph sighed as she sank tiredly into one of the leather couches. Her milky eyes were red and weary as she ran a hand through the curtain of fringe covering them. 

“Well, I know I played detective once but that was nearly fifteen years ago. I don’t see how much help I can be to a bunch of trained metalbenders.” 

Toph shook her head lightly as she stretched her arms over her head. She rubbed the side of her neck in an attempt to relieve the tension that was trying to take full-time residence there.

“Come with me Sokka, they should have brought in the body to the morgue by now.” Toph led the way to the basement. 

She expertly navigated down the hallways, past all of the offices and public spaces, interrogation rooms, jail cells and towards the staircase. As the pair descended, Sokka felt a chill creep deep into his bones. Sure, he was used to the frigid climate of the South Pole, but this chill was gut-wrenching and nausea inducing. The cold was stagnant and the fresh rotting stench confirmed that the corpse had indeed arrived. 

“Doesn’t it feel weird to work only a few levels above dead people?” Sokka asked as he pushed open the doors of the morgue for Toph.

“Eh… after four years you stop thinking about those things. Besides, I’m usually more concerned with the guys in the interrogation rooms. There isn’t much these bags of bones can tell me.” 

“I guess you have a point… where exact-...” Sokka’s voice trailed off as his eyes landed on the source of the stench. “Well, fuck.”

“Yup, fuck is right.” 

In front of them were the remains of what could only have been assumed human. Ashen gray skin stretched across what was once muscles, tendons, organs, soft tissue and had the appearance of meat through a grinder. The bones were threatening to rip through the skin and stuck out in a manner that even in a traumatic accident would be difficult to replicate. The eyes and brain matter were draining out of the skull, slowly dripping in a grotesque hypnotic rhythm. 

It would have been impossible to identify whether the body had been male or female, young or old. 

“Does it look as bad as it feels?” Toph asked. 

Sokka let out a nervous laugh, “Haha, you have no idea...Where did you say this was found?” 

“The Dragon Flats. It was the only one we were able to bring in. The rest had turned to stinking flesh soup.I’m not sure how many were like this. I’m having my men look into any missing persons in the area.”

The visual caused Sokka to gag slightly, “Oh, I remember exactly what happens to these bodies if left out too long.I’m surprised that you were able to even bring one in.”

“So I was right, this is what you and Crazy saw all those years ago.”

“She isn’t crazy... But yeah, this is what we saw in the Earth Kingdom. Spirits, it’s been so long since anyone has had any sighting of these kinds of remains.” Sokka looked at his friend. His stomach was beginning to turn violently, threatening to spill his lunch on the table and ruin the evidence in front of him.

“Let’s get out of here Snoozles, this thing is about to make you sick.” 

“Good call.”

They made their way down the hall and up a flight of stairs before they stopped. Sokka let out the breath he had been unknowingly holding and leaned against the wall. The resurface of these gruesome murders brought a mix of emotions to him. 

As far as he had known, it had been at least thirteen years since anyone had seen or heard of the Chi-Eaters. Even now the few people who knew of the Chi-Eaters only whispered ghost stories about them around campfires. They were things of legend, tales that were used to scare children away from the woods. 

But they were real; very real and horrid.

He tried his best not to remember how terrified he had been when he came across the village ravaged by them. So many men, women and even young children had suffered the same fate as the poor soul on the table not far from where Toph and Sokka were standing. Though battle-worn, Sokka had been shaken thoroughly to his core at the sight of such senseless carnage. 

What had brought them about again? Where had they disappeared to? Why Republic City and had there been other attacks?

“Toph, I think we need to send a messenger hawk to Ba Sing Se. Dr. Han will be interested in seeing this.”


	2. Chapter 2

_Thirteen years ago, Northern Earth Kingdom…_

Dusk would soon be settling across the forested valley. Warm pinks and purples were starting to cast long shadows through the trees. Winter was mercifully giving way to Spring. The earth was still hard and cold but it was nothing compared to the frigid tundra of the poles. Sokka and his team of twenty five fire, earth and non benders, all who were looking forward to being initiated into the Order of the White Lotus after their task had been completed, had set up camp for the night and were bustling about with their duties.

So far their mission had been turning up empty. Two long hard months of quite literally putting out fires had little success to show for. It seemed that his small platoon was always a hair too slow in catching his prey. 

How Sokka wished that he had not been persuaded into accepting Zuko and Kuei’s cry for help. He should have just said no to Master Piandao when he had approached him with the promise of officially inducting him into the Order if he were to lead the small fledgling group of would-be initiates... if they proved to be successful, of course. If he had said no, then maybe he wouldn’t be traipsing about the northern Earth Kingdom chasing after an elusive target.

Frustrated, Sokka grabbed a fishing rod from amongst his supply and headed towards the stream he had seen earlier. It took him a moment to find an ideal spot for him to cast his fishing line but he realised that he didn’t really care if he caught anything at all. The water was too cold for anything that would make a decent meal and the fish were not yet spawning. Besides, they had just restocked their supplies the day before in a small village so there was no need to catch anything to eat. He just needed the excuse to be by himself. 

Alone he was able to reflect on all of his mistakes from the past two months and recalculate his next plan of attack. If he had a smaller team, perhaps he could move more stealthily through the trees, or set up checkpoints throughout the neighboring towns that had not been struck yet...They were getting close to her, he could feel it! But somehow she had managed to escape every single time. She must have supporters in these forests helping her move around… 

Sokka lazily drew his strategic plans in the dirt next to him. Erasing and redrawing new scenarios until the dirt figures stopped resembling battle plans and began resembling what he attempted to be a poorly drawn Suki, his girlfriend. 

It had been nearly four months since he had last seen her. She was dutifully serving the Fire Lord along with the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors and he couldn’t have been more proud of her. He admired her strength and courage as a leader. She always did what was right and was compassionate in her deliverance of justice.

Sokka was lost in his thoughts of Suki when he felt that he was no longer alone. The hairs on the back of his neck perked up. His practiced hand went towards his trusty boomerang but before he had a chance to draw it, he felt a change of electricity in the air…

Oh, he was in deep shit. 

He leapt from where he was standing and crashed painfully into the bush a few feet away. Where he had stood only moments before a powerful bolt of lightning struck. The earth was scorched and embers were licking at the dry grass, fizzling out before spreading too far.

Looks like he found her.

He turned to look towards the direction of the lightning bolt. Azula was standing about twenty feet away from the bank of the stream. Her fists were ablaze with her signature blue fame and she looked ready to kill.

Sokka jumped to his feet, pulling his boomerang and space sword out and took a fighting stance, thanking the Spirits that Toph had been able to find both of them for him. 

It had been over a year since the last time he had seen Azula and she’d disappeared. They had temporarily been allies while fighting against Misu and Rafa’s attack but that had been quickly forgotten when Azula was finally able to confront her mother. He had almost failed to stop Azula from hurting Ursa but thankfully Zuko had been around to intervene. 

The past year had not been kind to Azula. Despite the enormous power of her firebending, her normally toned physique looked malnourished and weak. She had deep, dark circles under her eyes and her usually polished hair looked dirty and matted. 

This was not the Azula who had stirred unrest with the resurgence of the Kemurikage the previous year. Suki had told Sokka all about Azula’s attempted kidnapping of Kiyi and the other children. That Azula had been unhinged and cruel but confident in her scathing attempts to undermine Zuko’s rule. 

The Azula in front of him wasn’t even a shadow of her former self. She looked lost and wounded with an absent, far-away look in her amber eyes. Sokka almost felt sorry for her, the way one would if they came across a wounded animal on the side of the road. But like a wounded animal, she was dangerous and not to be underestimated. 

Azula blasted a stream of blue flames towards Sokka and he rolled out of the way. The trees behind him weren’t so lucky and caught on fire. 

_The smoke should alert the camp that she’s here… I just need to hold on long enough for the others to come._

He kept dodging her fire blasts, each getting closer but losing their potency. Her movements were also faltering. _This is my chance to bring her down._

His blood boiled with adrenaline as he snaked his way through her attacks, weaving his way closer in an attempt to close the distance. His previous sparring matches with the firebenders on his team had prepared him to withstand a fight against a competent bender, but Azula despite her weakened state was still a prodigy and leagues better than anyone he had ever sparred with. She would not let him stand still enough to throw his boomerang or use his Space Sword. 

He blindly threw his boomerang in her direction. She blasted it out of its trajectory but it proved to be enough of a distraction. Sokka lunged at her, his weight easily knocking the breath out of her lungs. They collapsed on the hard ground and he quickly pinned her down with Space Sword held precariously at her throat, his head fogged with rage.

_Just a quick swipe and it’ll all be over. She won’t be able to hurt anybody any more. It’s more mercy than she deserves…_

“Just do it already.” Azula said hoarsely, sapping his anger out of him slowly. Resignation had filled her eyes and he felt her go limp underneath him as she accepted her fate. 

Sokka hesitated as he took a closer look at the princess. Her normally fair and unblemished skin had become freckled and weathered from the constant exposure to the sun. Her cheeks had sunken in so dramatically that she appeared to be almost skeletal and her lips were dry and bleeding. Old bruises mixed with new ones marred the sides of her face.

_Zuko wants his sister alive, as does Kuei and the White Lotus …Yeah, well what Zuko doesn’t know won’t hurt him... She deserves to face proper judgement and serve her time! Think of what she did to Suki…_

He caught a glimpse of the hilt on his sword. The White Lotus symbol gleamed lightly in the firelight. 

_"Remember, you cannot take back the stroke of the brush, or a stroke of the sword."_ his master had once told him during his first training with him. And Piandao was right, who knew that the consequences would be if Sokka let his anger control him. 

Disgusted with his moment of weakness, he threw his sword aside and with a few well placed jabs he chi-blocked Azula. Her eyes sprang open in shock.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, you filthy snow savage?!” She screamed as he went to collect his weapons. "Just kill me already... You weak, pathetic son of a bitch!!!” Her howls of despair echoed through the trees causing the birds who had settled in for the night to take flight. She was laying on the ground, her eyes rolling in their sockets as a few of the members from Sokka’s cadre finally arrived on the scene. 

“By order of Fire Lord Zuko, Earth King Kuei and Avatar Aang and the White Lotus: I, Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe hold Princess Azula under arrest for crimes against the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom.”

Sokka had an earthbender bind Azula’s hands and feet with stone, “Lee One, let’s see what we can do to get this fire under control. Bom, take the princess back to the camp. Make sure that she is secured… actually, just sedate her when you get back to camp. I don’t want to risk having her attack us while we head back to Ba Sing Se. Lee Three, send a messenger hawk to the Earth King, Fire Lord and the Avatar about our capture.” 

Lee Three snapped to attention and with a salute he ran off towards the direction of the camp. Azula’s cries continued to pierce through the woods. With disgust Sokka made his way back to where she was being detained by Bom. 

Azula squirmed in her binds and snarled at Sokka as he jabbed at the fallen princess once more, knocking her out. Her eyes rolled back and he gave a sigh of relief as Azula finally went silent.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is rated M for all possible mature themes that will happen including some suicidal thoughts, actual suicide, references to sexual violence (although not explicit) and adultery. If that is not your cup of tea, please do not read it. I’ll try to post trigger warnings before each chapter as a heads up and update the tags. 
> 
> Trigger warning: suicidal thoughts

She noticed the feeling of weightlessness first. It had been months since she hadn’t been plagued with pangs of pain or hunger.

_Spirits…I better be dead._

_Don’t worry, soon you will be…_

_No...no… not you...Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off…Somebody help..._

Azula tried to open her eyes but they felt impossibly heavy. Whatever voices were surrounding her sounded as though they were as distant as the sun. What fresh hell had she landed herself in?

It was draining all of her energy trying to summon her consciousness and so she blissfully gave into the darkness.

\-----------------------

Sokka looked down at the unconscious figure of Azula. Even in a deep sedated state she invoked fear in him. How could someone be so terrifying in such a vulnerable state?

It had been two days since he and his team had captured the princess. After he had sent the messenger hawks to the figureheads he had made every intention of packing up camp and heading to Ba Sing Se but the wacky Northern Water Tribe healer they had managed to find several miles from camp had other plans. 

The healer had discovered that in addition to being malnourished, Azula had several broken ribs and a concussion. She suggested waiting a few days until Azula had recovered enough to be placed in the steel carriage. Sokka had tried his best to convince the ornery healer that Azula did not deserve any kind of special treatment but the old wolf-bat dug her heels. Northern Water Tribe people were so unnecessarily stubborn!

He had passed the last few days of idleness plotting the task force’s course towards Ba Sing Se, sending letters to his friends with exaggerated accounts of Azula’s capture and sparring with some of the most elite soldiers from the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. 

Occasionally he would pop into Azula’s tent, just to assure himself that she was indeed still there. He had placed two guards outside of the tent and had them rotating shifts but he still felt that she would disappear like smoke through his fingers.

Sokka watched as Azula’s eyes fluttered through her eyelids. The two days of sleeping had improved her complexion enormously but she still had a gaunt appearance. The bruises on her face had faded and the deep purples under her eyes shrank in appearance.

“She should be waking up soon. Her last dose was about six hours ago.” the healer said as she bustled into the tent. She busied herself by checking Azula’s pulse, gently pulling at the bottom of her eyelids revealing the white’s of Azula’s eyes. 

“Brillant. How much longer do we have to wait before we can head out?” Sokka asked impatiently. 

The healer ignored his tone, “Hmm… right, any moment now… she’ll be famished when she wakes up. I’ll have to have the cook make something light so it doesn’t upset her stomach…” she gloved her hands with water and brought them towards Azula’s ribs. The water glowed and she glanced at Sokka in disinterest, “I think that by tomorrow morning you could head out if she’s up for it.”

Sokka went to make a retort but was interrupted by Azula’s whimpers.

“No… no… help …” her voice trailed off softly. Sokka rushed to her side and watched as she quieted down. Her face was contorted in fear, something he had never seen on Azula’s face. Before her meltdown, she had always exuded confidence and a sense of control. Even in the skirmish a few days prior there had been no betrayal of fright. 

A pang of sympathy ran through Sokka as he looked at the pitiful form of Azula. He tried to suppress any feelings of compassion towards her. It felt odd and disturbing to entertain such emotions for someone as atrocious as Azula. 

Afterall, what the hell would Azula have to be afraid of? 

\---------------------------

Existence was beginning to be a burden Azula no longer cared to carry. It was too heavy a load and she was tired. Her limbs felt like heavy stone pillars and she could feel a headache creeping behind her left eye. Hadn’t life already treated her bad enough?

She opened her eyes. They felt so heavy and her vision came in and out of focus until her eyes landed on a pair of unfamiliar silver eyes.

“Alright deary… I want you to tell me, how many fingers am I holding?” The middle aged woman asked. The woman had deep set lines around her eerie silver eyes. She had dark skin and her black hair had a lock of gray running through the front. Her clothes were strangely familiar to Azula. The indigo and blues indicated a Water Tribe heritage.

“Three…” she replied hoarsely. Her voice sounded so dry and out of use. Which was to be expected considering she had had limited contact with humans the past year. “Water…”

A cup was brought to her lips and she drank eagerly as the woman helped her to sit up. Azula’s mind may have been tired of existing but her body’s reflexes were kicking in quite nicely. _Well damn, I guess death by dehydration won’t be on the table for me; if only it was poisoned…_

She scanned the rest of the space. She was in a tent surrounded by various crates and an empty cot. It seemed that whoever had brought her to this place was using it as an infirmary and supply storage. There was someone else in the tent as well. The candles flickered warmly in the tent, casting dark shadows across the face of the person standing in the corner. 

When he noticed that she had focused her gaze on him he stepped out of the shadow. His face was one of the many that had been mocking her for almost three years. Their faces had played on repeat back to back on sleepless nights and reminded her of her failures and how low she had fallen from grace. Because of him and his band of do-gooders, especially that bitch of his sister, _she_ had lost _everything!_

Locked inside of her mind, her prison cell went wherever she did. The voices never far from reach, cooing in her ear incessantly. Even when she had been released from the mental institution she hadn’t been free. She walked a razor thin line of insanity and lucidity and his presence threatened to have her careening over the edge. 

“Great, you’re awake; you’ve been out for nearly two days. Tell the healer that you’re all better now so that we can finally head out.” Sokka said as he sat down on an overturned crate next to her. He reached over and grabbed her wrists in his large hands and began to tie them together. 

“Unhand me you disgusting, barbaric blockhead!” Azula hissed, her voice was still hoarse from disuse. She attempted to pry her arms away but her limbs were not responding to her commands. She was trapped. 

“With pleasure, but first I need to make sure that Princess Crazy doesn’t try to run off. Not that you can with all the sedatives we’ve been giving you but better safe than sorry.”

He began to fasten ropes around her ankles but the healer smacked Sokka on the back of his head. A loud _thwack!_ resounded through the tent. 

“You will do no such thing to my patient! I don’t care whatever she’s done or how much you want to kill each other; you’ll have to wait until I say it’s clear for you two to go at each other’s throats. Now you missy,” the healer turned to look at Azula, “ you need something in your belly. You look like a strong breeze can carry you halfway across the Earth Kingdom! Here, have some of this porridge…” 

Before Azula had a chance to protest she felt a spoonful of warm porridge overwhelm her mouth. She couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten a warm meal. For months she had lived off of whatever she could find or steal. The warm porridge was mild in flavor and lacked the Fire Nation spices she was accustomed to but it was the most glorious meal of her miserable, nearly sixteen years of life. 

“Meathead boy, make yourself useful and feed her while I go grab a basin...let’s see if we can do something about that bird’s nest on your head now that you’re awake.” The healer placed the bowl of food in Sokka’s hands. He turned his face in distaste and for a moment it seemed to Azula that he was considering just dumping the contents on her face. 

“Spirits… this is bloody embarrassing.” He said as he scooped up a large portion of porridge and shoved it roughly into Azula’s mouth. She started choking, spraying Sokka’s face with bits of rice. 

“How can you say that? I’m the one here that can’t move and has to be fed like a child!”

“Yeah, well it serves you right for being a homicidal menace terrorizing the entire northern hemisphere, wrecking havoc and destruction wherever you go…”

To that she had no response. She silently ate as Sokka fed her. 

“I didn’t mean to destroy those villages…” Azula said softly, avoiding eye contact with the Water Tribesman. Fatigue was beginning to overtake her again, her defenses were rapidly depleting. Any sense of maintaining appearances in front of the water savage were starting to fray and her control cover was slipping. 

He made a noise of disbelief, “Look Azula, we’ve been on your trail for months. You spent a good chunk of the war hunting after my friends and I, when we went to find your mother you couldn’t help but attack those trying to help you. You even kidnapped your own sister! So don’t be surprised if I say I don’t believe you and I can’t trust you to not burn down the world.”

“I know, I know!” Her eyes flashed with anger, “That’s why I left! I wanted to start over… someplace where no one would recognize me. But I can’t! I _tried_ but I was attacked and then my brother kept sending his men to take me back to the mental instit-...”

“Wait… your brother didn’t send anyone until two months ago. That’s why I’m here.” Sokka said. He looked genuinely confused. “Who’s been attacking you?” 

“I-I’m not sure. I haven’t been able to stay in a place for too long. It seems that wherever I go they find me. I-It’s like a sickness or a cloud that keeps following me and I’ve only barely escaped each time. I’m trying my best to fight it but I don’t know how much longer I can last…”

Sokka looked at Azula contemplatively. A strange look crossed his face for a moment and disappeared just as fast. Her vision blurred again and she noticed that tears were rolling down her face. She tried to wipe them but her fingers only managed to pathetically twitch. He looked down at them and realized what she was attempting to do. 

He set down the bowl on the crate besides him and gingerly wiped away her tears. “I can’t trust what you have to say, but for now I believe that you believe there is something attacking you. You’ve been sick for a while and I know Zuko wants to get you help. This time, not with those bogus doctors at the loony bin. I can’t promise you anything but if you behave and cooperate with me on our way to Ba Sing Se, I will try to put in a good word with Kuei and the Order. Do you understand?”

Azula considered Sokka’s proposition. She knew that if she managed to escape she’d only continue to be chased by whoever was after her. She’d be alone, cold, starving and on the run until death came for her either at the hands of her physical weakness or her enemies. 

But he was offering her some shelter and a hot meal, at least until they arrived at Ba Sing Se. 

_I can worry about escaping once we get to Ba Sing Se…_

_IT’S A TRAP! Didn’t the Water Tribe savage try to behead you a few days ago? Your brother and the lot of them want you gone!_

_Yeah, well who doesn’t?_

Azula nodded her head, “Ok… I’ll try my best to not kill you all on our way to Ba Sing Se. But I don’t want to be sedated. It’s only a matter of time before they show up. I’ll be a sitting turtle-duck if I can’t fight.” 

Sokka looked like he was going to argue but was interrupted when the healer made her way inside the tent carrying a water basin, perfumed hair oils and scissors. 

“Alright missy, let’s see what we can salvage from this rug that you call hair…” 

Understanding that as his cue to leave, Sokka got up from besides Azula and headed out towards the entrance.

“Goodnight Azula, sleep well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Panic attacks

Azula awoke to the sound of the camp being packed up. It was early morning, the sun was about to peek over the horizon but the men and women were busy at work. She sat up in her cot slowly. She could still feel the lingering effects of the sedatives but thankfully she was able to have free use of her limbs.

The healer had given her a low dose of a sleeping sedative after she had sheared her hair. It had been so matted and clumped the healer had feared she would have left Azula as bald as an Air Nomad. Azula ran her fingers through her short locks. Her hair now fell slightly past her jaw, tapering to the nape of her neck. It amazed Azula that she had been able to part so easily with her long tresses. It felt like it was the final step in renouncing her nobility and birthright. _A new start…_

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sokka as he clamoured into her tent. He began to try and lift four crates at once while obnoxiously singing, “Wakey, wakey Princess Sparky Pants, we want to get a move on as soon as possible!” 

“Must you be so infuriating this early in the morning, you dolt?” 

He had already exited the tent, completely disregarding Azula’s outburst. She shook her head in frustration, then attempted to stand slowly. Her legs felt so weak and unstable that she had only managed to take a few steps before she collapsed to the ground. It was at that moment that Sokka made a reappearance.

He chuckled as he lifted her to her feet, “Hmmm… I guess it’ll be a while before you can move about without dropping like a bumble fly in the middle of winter... Hey, your new hair looks really nice! I almost wouldn’t recognize you if I were to walk past you on the street. You could almost pass as a normal, non-bloodthirsty teenager!”

Azula scowled, “That’s rich, considering who it's coming from. Didn’t you win some award for the stupidest ponytail humanity has ever seen?” 

“Well that is just uncalled for! And this isn’t a ponytail, it’s a warrior’s wolf tail!!! It’s a sign of my supreme fighting skills. Plus, the ladies love it!”

“You look like you got in a fight with a razor and lost. Badly.” 

“Yeah, well.... Well…” he trailed off sheepishly, at a loss for words. Azula smirked, pleased that she had managed to silence the brute, if only for a moment. “Look, we don’t have time for this! We need to get to Ba Sing Se soon and it’ll take us at least five days to get to the ship.You didn’t have any belongings with you when we brought you in so just hang tight for a bit. I’ll get someone to help you move around. Please, can you try not to be so scary when they come get you? ”

“I refuse to do such a thing.”

“Ok, ok…Azula, could you just not hurt anybody, or taunt them?” 

Azula rolled her eyes, “Whatever…”

“Not exactly the yes I was looking for but good enough! I have a few things I need to do before we leave so someone will come by when it’s time to help move you...I hope your legs stop feeling like soggy noodles soon!” 

Sokka picked up another box, and with a wave of his hand he was gone. 

“What an idiot…”

\--------

Azula felt humiliated as the two soldiers dragged her towards the center of the camp. They were holding her up by her arms with little regard to her comfort or dignity but she held her head high anyways. She could tell that she would be sporting colorful bruises later. If her weakened limbs had been able to sustain her and if her chi didn’t feel so muted then she would have zapped them for their insolence. 

As they made their way through the camp, eyes would divert themselves from their tasks to look at the disgraced princess. Most gloatingly stared at her while others looked on with repulsion etched on their faces. It was not a large camp by any means but Azula felt like she had just been paraded around the entire Caldera like a common zoo animal. 

It did not matter what these lemmings thought. Of what use would the opinion of a fickle Fire Nation soldier be to her? They had easily bowed to Zuko and the Avatar’s authority. While Azula no longer cared to rule the throne she still believed that duty and loyalty to country should come above all things. It had only been a few short years since Ozai had been utterly humiliated by the Avatar! And while thrones often were quick to change crowns, the humiliation that the Fire Nation had endured by joining hands with the Earth Kingdom, the backwards Water Tribes and the Avatar were intolerable to her. Fire was the superior element, capable of consuming and raising a new world from its ashes! How dare her spineless brother neglect that responsibility and succumb to such weak ideas of balance and harmony in an attempt to appease their fuddy uncle’s Pai Sho club. Peace was unstable yet her countrymen fell for Zuko and the Avatar’s words of armistice. 

They reached a metal cage attached to a camelephant. It was large enough to hold a few average sized men inside. There was a small opening with bars running vertical. A mobile prison. For her. 

“Here’s your ride, _Princess_ ” the soldier sneered. She was from the Earth Kingdom based on her appearance. _Ok, she might have reason to hate me…_

Azula tried to keep a cool tone to her voice, “Where is my ostrich-horse? I can’t be expected to ride in that metal contraption like some commoner.” 

“ ‘Fraid so... Not like you don’t deserve worse.” The soldier spat and tugged roughly at Azula’s arm in direction towards the cage. 

_No… not this again…_

Azula could feel her skin tighten painfully and stretch across her chest, threatening to rip her apart. Her muscles were tense, like a tightly wound spring. _No, no, no...._ She felt so warm despite the chill of the morning and it felt like her lungs could not take in enough air no matter how many gulps she attempted. The sounds surrounding her were fading away just as her vision began to sport black spots. 

A strangled cry gutted through her throat, “NO!!! I can’t go BACK!!! LET ME GOOO!!!”

She began to squirm but her feeble attempts did not lessen the vice-grips around her arms. Her legs went limp and the soldiers faltered in attempting to adjust to her dead weight. 

“NO!!! PLEASE...LET ME GO!!!” Azula sobbed, tears springing in her eyes. She could feel flames sputter out of her hands and mouth, cutting through the early dawn with a flash of light.

The soldiers mercifully let go, unsure of what to do with the princess as she rolled on the ground but also wanting to avoid being accidently scorched by her blue flames. Azula continued to convulse and gasp out, choking on air and flame. The sounds carried across the camp and reached Sokka who had just secured his pack to his eel-hound. 

He quickly made his way to the commotion. The soldiers looked exasperated and for a loss of words while Azula looked like she was miles away; strangled by sheer terror. Sokka’s mind began to race. He had witnessed panic attacks before but he never had to consider what it would mean for a bender like Azula to succumb to one. Should he chi-block her? That would only stop her movement and would do little to calm her. 

He recalled the last time he and Suki had been together on a date; they had come across a woman who displayed a similar behavior to Azula’s. Thanks to Suki’s quick thinking, she had been able to calm the woman down enough to keep her from hurting herself and find her husband. It had been an unsettling experience to see someone so distressed but he was thankful that Suki had been around to help.

“Azula… Azula…” he attempted in his most soothing voice, “I’m here… d-don’t worry... We won’t make you go in there, ok? I’m going to reach down and help you up, is that alright? Let me know if you want me to let go, understand?” 

Sokka gently grabbed Azula by her wrist, his other hand on her back, sitting her up from her fetal position. He winced as Azula’s flames grazed his skin but he ignored the stinging pain. He began to calmly brush his thumb in circles above her wrist; breathing in slow, exaggerated motions. Azula soon fell in cadence with his breathing and the fire emitting from her hands and mouth began to falter, choking to an acrid smoke. 

He wrapped his arm around Azula and as slowly as possible, lifted her up to her feet. Sokka continued to lightly stroke her arm in a reassuring rhythmic manner. He could feel Azula’s muscles loosen and the pulse beneath his fingers begin to slow down. 

“There...there...I’m sorry that you had to go through that. I won’t make you do anything that makes you afraid, alright? You’re safe, I’ll keep you safe…” Sokka repeated, his hand moving to gently pat her hair. He hadn’t realized what he had been saying to her but he knew that he had to follow through with his promises. 

He motioned to the others to start moving out and slowly the rest of his platoon cleared out in the direction he pointed. He wanted the metal cage out of sight and soon only his eel-hound was left. 

Although Sokka had little affection for Azula, she was still his best friend's little sister. And she was clearly ill. If Katara had been the one in Azula’s shoes, Sokka was sure that he would do anything to help her and would want his friend’s support if the task proved to be too much to do alone. It also didn’t make sense to Sokka to treat Azula like the fourteen year old girl that had chased him and his friends. The girl in his arms, currently wiping away at her face was so different from her. Something had changed within her, perhaps she wasn’t a complete monster? She seemed so broken and fragile. Maybe she could heal? Would that change anything? 

It wouldn’t be fair to condemn this teenage girl, because she was just that despite how often he forgot, a lost teenage girl, for a lifetime in a cell or padded room without the chance to demonstrate that she could change. Perhaps all this girl needed was an opportunity outside of her family’s reach to prove that there was something salvageable within her? 

“Azula... how are you feeling?” he asked lightly. He felt so uncomfortable standing so close to her now that she had managed to calm down, but he didn’t move his hand from around her wrist. He had a feeling that his presence was the only thing grounding her to reality. 

“I-I feel like I’m going to be sick…” she said weakly. Her pallor became gray under her sun-damaged skin. Seconds later, she vomited. Sokka held her hair out of the way while she held onto his arm for support. 

“Here, have some water, it’ll get the taste out until we can have a bit of breakfast.” 

“I don’t need your pity.”

“It’s not pity. This is a normal reaction to someone who is sick. You’re going to have to get used to that. Besides, I’m genuinely curious as to what happened to you this past year. You have all the time in the world to talk about it. After all it’s a long, long way to Ba Sing Se! ” He nudged the animal to lower it’s hindquarters so that he could help Azula onto the front of the saddle on the eel-hound. He climbed on behind her, taking hold of the reins and prodded it forward.

“Please don’t start singing.”

“Only if you tell me what happened.”

“Fine…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! 
> 
> I hope that everyone has a safe, healthy and happy 2021. To all those who have had a difficult year (even if you didn't), I sincerely hope that brighter days will be ahead for you and your loved ones. This chapter means a lot to me since I was able to channel my own panic attacks into something I had forgotten I loved, which was writing. For that, I am thankful that despite how stressful and hard life gets, some good can come of those situations.


	5. Chapter 5

They had been riding for a few minutes before Azula managed to speak. The sun was shining brightly and seemed to have rekindled something within her. 

However, when she spoke, it was devoid of emotion, “I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do when I left the Fire Nation. I had half considered just turning right back around and telling Zuko that my presence in the palace was something that he would have to become accustomed to… but I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life under his thumb or fearing an assassination attempt from his supporters. So I just left. 

“I ended up in the Misty Palms Oasis for a couple of months. I figured I could be a mercenary or provide some sort of protection for hire but firebenders are still considered to be ill for business in those parts. It wasn’t worth all the fights I was getting into, fun as they were, so I headed north, past Ba Sing Se towards the Air Temples. I didn’t know where I wanted to go but as long as I avoided areas that were part of the Harmony Restoration bullshit, I didn’t care. 

“I had a bit of coin with me from some of the jobs I managed to get paid for but it wasn’t enough to keep staying at inns and buy a decent meal so I ended up sleeping outside, away from the roads in case of bandits. Obviously I can hold my own against any lowly thief, but it wouldn’t help me blend in if people started talking about my blue fire. My plan was to lie low until people forgot about the missing Fire Nation princess...

“It must have been on the third or fourth night sleeping in the outskirts of some village that a group of rogue Earth Kingdom soldiers found me. They thought I was some defenseless runaway… an easy target for their disgusting appetites, but I showed them.” Azula’s voice trailed off for a moment. Her eyes focused on something distant.

Sokka felt his stomach drop, “T-they didn’t hurt you, did they?” 

She shook her head, “Not in the way they originally intended. But they had earthbenders in their group and they managed to sneak up on me while my defenses were down so they landed a few strikes before I got them. I-I didn’t kill them, but I’m sure that if they managed to survive their injuries they won’t be able to hurt women anymore. These men were vile and disgusting! I had heard of women and children in the villages being raped and beaten by ex- Earth Kingdom soldiers at night… You would think that the villagers would greet me as their savior for ridding them of that filth...No, despite that, when the villagers arrived, I was fighting the soldiers off but they only noticed my bending. The men of the village began turning on me, those fools! There were too many of them for me to take on, I was injured so I just ran into the forest… I kept running all night until I passed out.

“I didn’t know where I was afterwards… I got a fever after a few days of wandering in whatever Spirit-forsaken countryside. My wound had become infected, you see. I was starting to see hallucinations again until an old hermit or sage found me. I don’t remember this part too well. He nursed me until my fever broke. He fed me the most atrocious slosh that had ever passed through my lips! But it helped me regain my strength.

“We parted ways without too much ceremony and I headed towards a fishing village. I decided that while I healed I could pick up a job at an inn or something that wouldn’t draw attention. One of the inn owners agreed to hire me but instead of paying me she let me sleep in her barn. That went well for about two weeks until a few men, no more than five I think, dressed as Fire Nation soldiers came to the inn. They had been looking for me and were putting up wanted posters all throughout the town. I had been at the market that morning so they didn’t see me. It only took a bit of coin to get the old woman to tell them about me; that I had fit the description.... 

“The poster said that my brother had put out a search party and that they were going to bring me in dead or alive. I saw them leaving as the old lady pointed them towards the market. I ran off into the forest with her money and supplies and hid in the trees until they left. Afterwards, I think I must have walked for about three days and three nights. I thought that I had put enough distance between myself and the soldiers. 

“I had finally settled down to sleep when I heard them. They ambushed and tied me up like some common farm animal off to the slaughter house... One of them forced an anti-bending drug down my throat. Thankfully, I was still aware of my surroundings and was able to loosen the ropes around my arms and feet while they had stopped to feed their ostrich-horses.I stole one of their daggers and plunged it into the chest of the one who forced that drug on me. The others must have been too shocked to respond in time to stop me from stealing one of their ostrich-horses. I rode off and made it to a town on the edge of a mountain…

“When I rode in it was completely empty. The houses looked deserted and there wasn’t a single person going in or out. It wasn’t until I got to the center of the town that I noticed there were large piles of rotting flesh. The stench was unbelievable! I-I think that the whole town had been consumed by something powerful….

“But it didn’t look like any animals or spirits had attacked. I didn’t want to get a closer look but I couldn’t help it… I still have nightmares about this. I-I got too close to one of the piles and I’m not sure what happened but it just exploded!” Azula gagged slightly but continued, “It spooked the ostrich-horse away and it ran off into the mountains. I was covered head to toe in human remains but there was something wrong with the bodies. It was like something had tried to gouge them out from the inside. 

“I did the only thing I could do … after I looked through the whole village to make sure there weren’t any survivors, I torched the place. I wish that that village had been the only one of it’s kind but I have come across at least six more since then. And I torched every single one of them, which alerted the Fire Nation soldiers of my whereabouts. Whatever is causing these villages to rot seems to keep following or calling me. I don’t know which one would be worse…”

Sokka took a moment to process all that Azula had shared. He pulled on the reins and brought the eel-hound to a stop. A dust cloud was not far in the distance and Sokka could see that they had managed to catch up with the rest of the squadron. He was hesitant to join them so soon after Azula’s outburst earlier in the morning. 

She turned in the saddle to face him. Her voice became contorted with rage, “You don’t believe me, do you? Of course you don’t… Why should you believe crazy, lying Azula? She’s so keen to cause destruction that she’d invent monsters where there are none in order to avoid being sent back to the asylum.”

He remained silent for a moment. Sokka was hesitant to take Azula’s words as truth. After all, she was the only one he knew who could successfully deceive Toph. He had witnessed it himself the day of Black Sun. But back then she had been protecting her father. What was at stake for her now to be lying so boldly?

There was also the implication of a serious threat lurking in the mountain ranges of the Northern Earth Kingdom if her story proved to be true. He hadn’t heard of strange corpses showing up the last two months that he had been searching for Azula. There were also the rogue Fire Nation soldiers to consider. Besides the Firelord, what reason would anyone have for attempting to capture the princess? It was all so puzzling to him.

“Alright Azula, I am going to be honest with you. You don’t exactly have the best track record of telling the truth or even being in touch with reality...” Azula rolled her eyes at that, “but I believe you. I may sound like a complete idiot for saying this, but you seem like you’ve changed. I don’t know if it’s for the better but there is something different about you. And I want to help.”

“What could you possibly help with, peasant?” she snarled. 

“Azula, please, try to be agreeable. Right now, I think that I must be the only one apart from Zuko willing to give you a second chance. I honestly don’t know how to help… maybe we could start with looking for some evidence or motive for these attacks? That way we have something to prove that you aren’t some sort of pyromaniac. You’ve made a lot of people upset, though…” 

“It’s a start…”Azula considered, “However, I think that it would unleash something best kept hidden if we were to prod too much.”

Sokka smirked as he leapt off the eel-hound and stretched, “Now I definitely know you’ve changed! The Azula we all know and fear would never hesitate to release terror across the land.” 

“You’re right… I would never back down unless I knew I couldn't win. But I don’t even know what it is that we’d be facing and I don’t want to be the one consumed.”

“Ehh… those are details we can worry about after breakfast. Right now we just need to worry about one problem at a time. The most pressing one being that my stomach is starting to eat itself.” 

Sokka held the animal in place as Azula dismounted. Her legs seemed strong enough to bear her weight and she slowly began stretching as well. She could feel that her body was responding well to the rest and nourishment she had received but her grumbling stomach kept protesting that they had not yet stopped for breakfast. 

“Don’t worry, I get snacky when I ride so I brought more than enough food for the both of us.” He winked as he rummaged through his gear, “AH-HA!!! Here it is... MEAT!” 

Azula flinched at Sokka’s enthusiasm as he tore through a piece of jerky while he continued to pull out parcels of food. He tossed a few to Azula, “Must you be so barbaric? Spirits, no sense of restraint with your lot, is there?”

“Oh hush...I showed plenty of restraint when I didn’t decapitate you, didn’t I?” He said through a mouthful of meat. 

She glared at him as she gingerly peeled aside the wrappings to her rice ball, “Remind me to return the favor one day, won’t you? I always like to repay my debts...”

Sokka let out a bark of laughter as he sat down with his food, “Haha, good one! How about we call it even considering everything we’ve been through, shall we? I mean you did almost try to kill my friends and I countless times, you locked up my girlfriend in a high security prison, you terrori-” 

“Very well, very well… I see you point.” she interrupted. 

Azula bit into the lightly salted rice ball. She eagerly devoured the entire thing and moved on to the second _onigiri_. While on the run, she had gone days without a proper meal. When winter had arrived, her food supply became even more scarce. As a princess she had never imagined that she would experience something as lowly as hunger or homelessness. After all, she had been so sure of her future as a sovereign that it would have been treasonous to think of Princess Azula eating food stolen from peasants’ scraps. It was a cruel lesson she learned in addition to all the others that were slowly piling since her defeat. 

“Whoa there, slow down! You’re going to make yourself sick.” Sokka stood up and made his way towards Azula as he attempted to stop her from inhaling her fourth onigiri.

“Mah-nn yo’ bith’neth!” Azula said thickly through a mouthful of rice.

“You staying alive long enough to meet with Zuko is my business. Besides, I’m the only one around and if you choke I don’t fancy having to save you through mouth to mouth resuscitation...”

Azula’s face began to turn a brilliant shade of red as she coughed violently; her airways painfully attempted to remove the grains of rice that had managed to sneak their way through the wrong passageway. Sokka handed her a skin of water and she hastily gulped it to sooth her irritated throat.

“Don’t... _*cough*_ you dare… _*cough*_ utter such vile... _*cough*_ horrible… _*cough*_ things again you ass!” she gasped in between gulps of air, her amber eyes narrowed dangerously. 

Sokka just chuckled. “Relax! It's just a joke… don’t be so disappointed. I don’t think that my girlfriend would be too happy if I had to sacrifice myself to that extent.”

Azula’s complexion remained a deep blush, “You are an idiot, you realize that? I can’t believe that my moronic brother sent such a clown to find me. Were all the other fools too preoccupied with their harmony circus show or were you just the dumbest hog-monkey they could find?” 

“Ouch, you hurt my pride Princess Meany! I’m only teasing you! That’s what friends do…”

“You are _not_ my friend, and I don’t _need_ them!” She scowled. 

“Well, we might not be friends right now but that doesn’t mean we can’t be eventually… and everyone needs friends!” 

“No, not everyone. Especially me. Who needs friends when they’re just spider-snakes hiding in the weeds, binding their time for a chance to strike.”

“You’re talking about Ty Lee and Mai, aren’t you?” Sokka said bluntly. Azula shot him a dirty look at the mention of her betrayers. 

“Again, you demonstrate an outstanding ability for subtlety and tact.” Azula said, sarcasm dripping from every syllable she spoke. 

“It’s a gift.” He said with a shrug, “You’re wrong though... You do need friends, clearly. Otherwise you would have had someone to turn to when you left the asylum. But what you had with Ty Lee and Mai wasn’t friendship… it was more of a master-subordinate thing, don’t you think? Sure, you could have had some genuine moments together but controlling and manipulating your friends’ weaknesses and fears against them is hardly grounds for fostering meaningful affection.” 

“Don’t speak on matters you know nothing of, oaf!” She scoffed as she crossed her arms. She felt an uncomfortable, prickling sensation tickle deep in her belly. _Oh? Now you’ve decided to feel guilty about being a manipulating witch. A little too late, isn’t it?_ Azula attempted to ignore the voice raging in her head but it continued to ring louder and louder. 

“FINE! You may be right...” the voice became silent, “Perhaps you may have a point about them… However, I stand firm in that I don’t need friends or anybody for that matter. I’ve had enough betrayals and disappointment to last lifetimes.” 

Sokka tilted his head slightly, rubbing his chin with his hand. His blazing blue eyes seemed to pierce directly to her core, “You're scared, aren’t you? You’re afraid that without your status as a Fire Nation princess or your ability to control them, no one would willingly want to be around you.

Azula could feel her blood start to boil, “How dare you, you lowly brute, act like you know anything about me or what I’ve been through! 

“Hmm… It seems that I hit the nail on the head. I never considered you much of a coward.” He smiled smugly. Azula attempted to control the anger roaring in her ears. She could tell that he was trying to get a rise out of her.

“Of course you would preach such idiocies… What else could you expect from one of the Avatar’s disciples? You’re a fool if you believe that friendship and love is the answer to everything. Clearly you know nothing of what it means to rule or have the fate of your people and nation resting on your shoulders. I would have been murdered in my sleep if I held on to such absurdities. You can no more trust an ally as well as you can trust an enemy. At least with an enemy you know where they intend to plunge their knife.”

“Spirits, you’re so paranoid. And when did I say that friendship was the answer to everything? . Obviously it isn’t but in your case, I do think you need help and a friend. Someone that could help you heal and steer you away from Ozai’s demented teachings. Do you think your brother did that on his own? He had General Iroh and us to help him.” 

“My own mother didn’t bother so why would anyone else? You would have to be seriously deranged to want to try and befriend a monster like myself.”

“Goodness Azula, you’re making this way more difficult than it needs to be. I understand that the last few years have been traumatic for you… for everybody! We’re only teenagers for Spirit’s sake and we’ve already lived through so much. But you can’t stay stuck in the past or else you won’t ever be able to move on. It will only keep haunting you if you allow it to have that much power over you. However you can use it to grow. And it’s okay to let go and try to start fresh… it won’t be easy though.”

“Have you thought that perhaps someone like myself might not deserve such a chance? I’ve done such horrible things…”

“So have I! I don’t know if you know this but I kind of destroyed an entire Fire Nation Airfleet with Toph and Suki. There were probably innocent soldiers who had families or goals outside of the military on board and I was responsible for those casualties. We were at war and had to do what we could to prevent the Earth Kingdom from being burnt to the ground but it still doesn’t bring back those people to their families. And maybe it might be this whole running around with avatar business but I think that if someone is willing to change and make things right, no matter how badly they’d messed up, I would be willing to give them a chance. And you Azula, you were able to carry out such terrible things, perhaps you could also be capable of great things of equal caliber?”

Azula stared at him incredulously. Was he seriously so delusional? 

“Now I know that you’re an idiot.”

“No, I’m not. I trust my instincts when it comes to people and my instincts are telling me not to give up on you just yet. You’re what, fifteen or sixteen years old? It would be a shame to have you locked up for the rest of your life over something that you had no control over, which was your upbringing. Anyone would go mad if Ozai tried his best to convince you that you were just a weapon; but I’m sure that there is more than that to you. Zuko is sure of that as well. You just need to want to find out too.”

“You sound so sure… What will you do if I betray you? What if I am too far gone?”

“Well, I’m hoping that you don’t. And I don’t think that you are too far gone. Zuko hired Combustion Man to kill us and we’re best friends now! There must be something salvageable in you. Ty Lee would tell me stories of your childhood. Yeah, you weren’t the nicest but that's how kids are sometimes. Katara would throw snowballs at me and freeze me all the time growing up. It’s in there somewhere deep, deep, deeeeeeeep inside of you.”

Azula rolled her eyes, “I get it, I’m all sorts of messed up. I really think that you’re setting yourself up for failure. There is something wrong with me. I don’t think that I am even capable of being a nice person.”

He shrugged. “So what? You can be a good person instead.”

“Excuse me?”

“I think you’re confusing being a good person with being a nice person.”

“Is there a difference?”

“Sure there is! You think that good people are always nice or that nice people are always good? Take a look at Zuko’s advisors. Sure they’re perfectly nice people, well mannered and respectable citizens but I wouldn’t necessarily call them good people. Especially the ones who skim off taxes to line their own pockets. A good person wouldn’t misuse their position like that.

“And take a look at Toph. She is not a nice person. If I had a gold piece for every time she’s launched me in the air with her earthbending, I would have enough money to buy Ember Island. Tell me, is that what nice people do? But she is a good person. There isn’t anyone else I’d trust to have my back in a fight.. Well besides Suki or Katara or Aang… you know what I mean!” 

Was it possible for such things to be true? A tiger-monkey would sooner change its stripes than Azula would trust another human again. Her mental breakdown, her friends’ betrayal and everything she had suffered through were all fresh in her memory. But it seemed like Sokka wasn’t interested in lying to protect her mental state. He had so bluntly pointed out her insecurities without regard to her feelings. Had it been Zuko, she was sure that he would tiptoe and coddle her to the point of madness. 

Sokka began to clean the rubbish from their breakfast, “Look, I’m not asking you to change in a blink of an eye, be someone you’re not or make life altering decisions at this moment. I just want you to know that you don’t have to go about life alone. I could be your friend, but it’s entirely up to you.” 

“I’ll consider your words carefully.” She replied, her tone not betraying the lump that had caught on her throat. 

“That’s good enough for me! Now, let’s get a move on shall we?” He helped her onto the saddle and he jumped on behind her. 

They were ready to go but she could feel that Sokka was rummaging through his pack behind her. 

“What on earth are you doing back there?” She turned to face him. 

When he turned around, his face had split into an incredibly pleased grin. Attached to his face was a ratty looking beard and mustache. 

“Well, now we’re on our way! If you want another therapy session, Wang Fire is all ears for you princess!” he said in a deep, guttural voice. 

Her face had a pained look of disbelief. “Wang Fire? I hope it’s not a reference to some disease you’ve contracted on your travels…and how is it that out of the two of us, I‘m the only one who has spent time in a straitjacket?”

He just chuckled and beckoned the eel-hound forward, “Now princess, that’s no way to speak to Wang Fire, a Fire Nation Patriot!” 

“Please don’t tell me you use this disguise in public?” 

Their bickering carried on until they reached the rest of the platoon. Azula’s spirits had improved so much that she hardly paid any mind to the stares of the others. Sokka easily joked with his team while Azula remained silent. It was unbelievable how easy going he was with everyone and how at ease he made others feel. She could tell that despite his annoying tendencies, the other soldiers really liked and respected Sokka. Such social skills had been beneath her when she was Crown Princess. Afterall, her fearsome demeanor alone commanded respect! She felt a pang of heartache when she recalled that the respect demonstrated by her subordinates was actually built upon shaky grounds and had come tumbling down so quickly. 

Perhaps she might not have the charisma that Sokka did, but she was beginning to understand that a new start might be what she needed, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Have a great week :)


	6. Chapter 6

A few days had passed as the company made their way to the ship prepared by the Fire Nation. During their course through the mountains they had to stop by a small town to restock their supplies. They were about a day and a half's walk from where Sokka had coordinated the Fire Nation ship to pick them up and head to Ba Sing Se. A messenger hawk confirmed that the ship was due to arrive at the port within four days. 

As anxious as he was to finally get to the Ba Sing Se, he had to admit that he was enjoying spending time with Azula. Her biting remarks and callous manner had upset a few people here and there but she actually wasn’t terrible company. Beneath the thick layers of sarcasm and haughtiness he could tell that there was someone desperately trying to feel less alone. Even if she would sooner eat a live boarcupine than admit such a thing. 

Sokka pulled the eel-hound to a stop. 

“I think that we should probably leave this little guy here. It’ll be a nightmare trying to navigate through the crowd.”

“Why are we even stopping? I thought that you wanted to get to the ship as quickly as possible?”

“I do! I just thought that since we’re ahead of schedule we could do a bit of shopping…” 

Azula scoffed, “Shopping? You must be joking…”

Sokka shrugged, “Oh, I never joke when it comes to shopping. Besides, maybe we could pick up something slightly nicer for you so you don’t meet the Earth King smelling like you’ve been cleaning up after Appa’s droppings.” 

Her face turned bright red and he was sure that smoke would start billowing from her soon. However, when she spoke it was in a deadly low tone. Each syllable held a cold fury and was punctuated with rage, “I. Do. Not. Smell. You. Filthy. PEASANT!”

He chuckled, “Oh, okay then that must be the other Fire Nation princess riding on my saddle. Sorry, my mistake!” 

“You’re one to talk! The stench coming from your sleeping pack should be considered a war crime. It’s a wonder that no one has tried to incinerate it…” A brilliant blue spark ignited in her palm as she turned in the saddle, her unlit hand making its way through his belongings. 

Sokka could tell that his teasing was drawing dangerously close to the end of Azula’s patience but he couldn't resist to press on. “Are you sure you just didn’t get a whiff of yourself, Princess Smelly?” He leapt off of the eel-hound’s back once Azula directed her attention and flame to him. “Okay, fine… we’re both smelly but it’s not our fault! We haven’t exactly had a chance to have the royal spa treatment these last few weeks. But don’t worry! Once we get to the ship I think I can arrange something. In the meantime, you have got to get another change of clothing… you look like you were mauled by Bosco.” 

Azula jumped off more gracefully than Sokka had managed. She lifted the ends of her tattered tunic and frayed cloak. It was a wonder to Sokka to see her so underdressed for the mountain’s frigid spring weather but he supposed that being a firebender had its perks. Nevertheless, he had been thinking the last few days that she’d feel more comfortable if she were more suitably dressed. She had rejected all of the clothing he had managed to find among the women traveling with them. He had a feeling that the only way she’d accept anything would be if he antagonized her into it. 

“The Earth King’s pet bear? Oh Agni… I suppose you may be right. But I will not wear anything you choose. Judging by your absurd ponytail, I’m sure you have a most vulgar taste.”

“It’s a warrior’s wolf tail! You know that the ladies love it so you’re only saying that to be hurtful!” 

She rolled her eyes and wandered off towards the main street. “Right… I suppose that you wouldn’t be inclined to believe otherwise; it’ll shatter your poorly conceived illusions of being some sort of lady-killer. Shame, I thought that your friends would at least have the decency to be honest to your face.” 

They continued bickering as they passed the merchants and sellers on the main road. Azula hardly glanced at any of the trinkets that were displayed while Sokka couldn’t contain his eagerness. He wanted to buy all of the pretty hair pins or elegantly embroidered silk scarves for Suki and perhaps something for his sister and Toph. He would ask Azula’s opinion on items even though knowing that she'd respond with scathing commentary. 

“Her hair is too short to pin up. Doesn’t she have to wear that clown makeup all the time? It would clash horribly with that paint.”

“Why bother wasting your money buying a blind girl a pocket mirror when you can just throw it in a well, you dolt?”

“Your boorish sister wouldn’t recognize fine silk from komodo-rhino hide even if I were to slap her across the face with it...” 

“It is bad manners to buy something of greater beauty than the recipient of the gift. Their plainness would only dull the attractiveness of gift, thus it would insult the craftsman who worked tirelessly to produce such artistry.”

“What purpose would anyone have for possessing such tasteless jewelry? Is it meant to scare off birds from eating all the crops?”

Despite all her grumbling, Sokka was able to buy a few souvenirs for his friends. Azula was also able to find a few articles of clothing that she didn’t immediately disparage. The shopkeeper had kindly agreed to let Azula change into her new clothes and she beckoned them out in a huff after Azula had set fire to her old clothes inside of the shop.

Azula just smirked as Sokka repeatedly apologized and slipped a few extra coins into the hands of the woman and her disgruntled husband.

“Was that really necessary?” Sokka asked as they made their way back to the eel-hound with their purchases. His coin purse significantly lighter.

“Necessary? Of course not… Was it necessary for you to mock me into accepting new clothes?” 

“I guess you figured it out…” 

“Oh please, subtly is clearly not your strongest trait.”

Sokka grinned, “Heh, you’re right. I just wanted to make sure that you’re comfortable. You make it so hard to do nice things for you! Besides, Zuko wouldn’t be too pleased if he saw the state that you were in. What would people say of the Fire Nation Royal family?” 

Azula grimaced at the thought, “Well...I’ll find out soon enough, won’t I? When I face my sentence in Ba Sing Se.”

His heart sank at her dejected tone, “You know, it doesn’t have to be so bad, right? Zuko hasn’t disowned you so you technically still have some diplomatic immunity that we can invoke. Kuei is just looking to placate his advisors and the upper crust of his court. It wouldn’t do well for Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation relations if the Crown Princess is imprisoned.”

He could tell that she was still skeptical, so he pressed on, “Azula, you would do anything for the Fire Nation and your people, right?” 

She nodded, “Everything I’ve done has been for my nation. I might have been a bit misguided in my attempts I’ll admit; however yes, my duty to the Fire Nation comes before anything.”

“Well, just think of this as another task that only the Crown Princess can do. I’m not saying forget all the bad things you’ve done like staging a coup but it would be a form of diplomacy and reparations between the two nations... Just keep holding your head high.”

She appraised him carefully, “You’re quite the negotiator, aren’t you? I see why my spineless brother and the avatar have you in their inner circles.”

Sokka felt a blush creep up his checks at the unexpected praise. He adjusted the parcels in his arms awkwardly in an attempt to cover his flustered state, “Well, I don’t know about that… I’m not really good at mediating. I leave that to Aang and Katara. I’m more of a plan and attack guy… not in that particular order either. And usually it just blows up in my face.”

Azula’s eyebrow raised, unconvinced. “If you insist. Perhaps I shouldn’t expect much from a Water Tribe non-bender?”

Sokka smiled at her disparaging remark. After spending several days with her on the back of an eel-hound, he understood that it was her way of offsetting any compliments or positive remarks. Why she insisted on always being seen as the villain and misunderstood by others was still a problem he had yet to solve, but he would eventually. 

“Whatever you say, Princess…”

\------

The team had decided to make camp for the night outside of the town. Despite the long days spent with the other members of Sokka’s team, Azula still felt on edge around the others and she was sure that they were equally as apprehensive of her. After all, it was only a matter of time before one of them decided that they needed to deal with the princess in a permanent manner. 

It was only Sokka’s insistence that he would make sure that no harm befell her that provided some balm to her paranoia. The fool was many things; obtuse, annoying, gluttonous with food, lacking in manners but he was no liar. He was painfully honest to everyone to the point that second hand embarrassment was something she had finally come to experience. That was how she found herself sitting across from the Water Tribe boy as they ate their meal, a small campfire in between them. 

She watched as the flames gently danced in the dark, illuminating the small circle. Laughter and conversations from the other campfires interrupted the melodious crackle of the kindling. The warmth emanating from it mercifully kept the biting cold air at bay and the golden glow provided her a sense of comfort as she slowly ate her stew. 

Azula tried to focus on these things, to ground herself in the present moment and ignore the gnawing anxiety that had a hold of her. It felt like the clarity in her mind was slowly slipping through her fingers. The moments where she was afraid of losing herself, of succumbing to the beckoning call of the voices in her head, were always trailing on her heels. 

_They’ll come for you… don’t you forget. In just the right moment, when you least expect it..._

She needed a distraction, anything to stave off the incessant noise that only she could hear. 

“I noticed when you almost lopped my head off-”

“You’re never going to forget that, are you?” Sokka said through a mouthful of potato

“No, I don’t think so. I find it amusing to lord such a thing over you. No wonder you and your band of do-gooders keep doing that.”

“I guess you have a point…”

“Anyways, as I was saying… how was it that you learned to chi block?”

“Really? I thought it was obvious… Ty Lee taught the Kyoshi Warriors and I snuck in a few lessons.”

Azula’s nose wrinkled in disgust at the mention of Ty Lee’s name. “I see… I must have forgotten that the traitorous snake decided to join the Avatar’s fan girls.”

Sokka laughed so boisterously that several people turned to see the commotion, “Oh Spirits… I’ll have to use that next time I see Suki… Avatar’s fangirls! That’s hilarious!”

She felt the corner of her mouth turn up slightly in amusement at his reaction but she quickly composed her features.

“That ‘traitorous snake’s’ name is Ty Lee. And you know she still cares a lot for you, right? She’s a good person…”

“Spare me the lecture… I just wanted to know how you learned to chi-block.”

“Okay… Ummm… I guess I had asked Suki- or was it that Ty Lee offered? Hmmm.. I can’t remember? Well, one of them suggested that it would be beneficial for me to learn since your brother was looking to form a team to come find you. And of course I had been wanting to learn chi-blocking since I first met Ty Lee. I thought it’d come in handy if I had to fight a bender, level the playing field, you know? It was also a way for Suki and I to spend more time together, which was an added benefit.”

She watched him through the flames. His face seemed to illuminate at the mention of the Kyoshi warrior. Azula didn’t have a lot of experience with relationships so it seemed foreign to her to see such a display of devotion to someone leagues away. Love wasn’t something that her father had taught her to hold in esteem. Her mother’s abandonment was testimony at how frail love was; rather fear was more within her lexicon. _How could you even begin to understand, you monster?_

Azula shook her head lightly. She tried to focus on the present again. “Hmmm, you and that painted girl seem to be quite the match. How was it that you two came to be?”

Sokka seemed a little perturbed at her inquiring. She really hadn’t made an effort to get to know him on a personal level the last few days but she was desperate for a distraction, anything to keep her focused and away from the chasms of her mind. 

“She was one of the first people I met outside of my village. We had just found Aang and were leaving for the North Pole to find a waterbending master but Aang insisted on stopping by Kyoshi Island to go swimming with the elephant koi… that kid seriously took so many years off of my life with his goofing off. Anyways, while he was out there showing off we were attacked by some warriors. I was a real jerk and would not believe that a bunch of girls had captured me. Long story short… she beat some sense into me, literally. Thanks to her, I started to have a healthy respect for women, especially those that can kick my ass.” 

Azula smirked, “Your first love beat you up? Agni, that is embarrassing…”

Sokka’s face tensed up a bit. His eyes drifted towards the waning crescent moon, “Um, no… Suki actually wasn’t my first love. She was someone else.”

His carefree demeanor was replaced with a melancholic one. It was out of place and jarring for Azula to see him so dejected. However, something told her that the wistful boy before her was never far from the surface. How had she not noticed? This was not how she had envisioned the conversion would pan out. 

“What happened to her?” she asked as the curiosity overwhelmed her. 

“She… she saved us all.” he whispered as his eyes remained focused on the soft glow of the moonlight. His voice was barely audible over the fireplace.

“What was her name?”

“Yue… Princess Yue.” 

Azula glanced at the moon now. No wonder he looked so forlorn as he stared at the moon. It seemed that the namesake of his first love dredged up painful memories. The name Princess Yue seemed familiar to Azula as well. She must have read it or heard it in some report on the North Pole war front but she could not recall the details. 

“You know, she reminds me of you, a little. Both of you would do anything for your people…”

The details of the report came trickling in, piece by piece. Princess Yue had been the Chief Arnook of the North Water Tribe’s daughter who had not survived the attempted siege of the north by the idiotic Zhao. Hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers and military equipment had been lost because of Zhao's pursuit of vanity and glory. She had paid little heed at the losses incurred by the Water Tribe. 

“Her dad had put me in charge of protecting her and I couldn’t even do that. She was so brave and just did what she had to do to save the world.”

“What did she do?”

Sokka looked like he was contemplating whether or not he should tell her. After a long pause he finally spoke, “Zhao had gone to the sacred spirit oasis in the North Pole, where the moon and ocean spirit dwell. He had captured the moon spirit and everything in the sky turned red. It was horrible. Aang and your uncle tried reasoning with Zhao and we all thought he had reconsidered but he ended up killing the moon spirit instead. Everything went dark rather than red at that point. It was like all hope had been lost. I had never felt so helpless. Aang disappeared into the oasis and bonded with the ocean spirit in the Avatar state and destroyed the Fire Nation fleet that Zhao had brought with him. Your uncle noticed that Yue had been touched by the moon spirit and she...she sacrificed herself in order to revive the moon spirit. I was holding her in my arms when she passed. But right before she joined Tui, she kissed me and told me that she’d always be with me.” 

The reports had certainly omitted that information. The day of the siege had been a spectacularly boring day for her as any other day in the palace was before her father had sent her out to look for her brother and uncle. She hadn’t even noticed the sky had changed since she spent most of her nights reading Fire Nation annals. Azula felt uncomfortable at learning something so personal about the simple Water tribe boy in front of her. However, he was no ordinary boy if even the moon spirit herself protected him.

“If you lost your first love, why would you want to risk loving and losing someone else? You’d just give your enemies more weakness to exploit.” her voice was genuinely confused. 

Sokka stared at her, almost in pity which was astonishing to her considering her first love didn’t go join the celestial realm. 

“Why wouldn’t I? Life wouldn’t be worth living if I didn’t have the people I love. They make me brave… They challenge me to overcome my fears and shortcomings. Yes, it was hard losing not just Yue but my mother as well, however my life is so much better having known them even for a short while. Their sacrifices have been the greatest examples of bravery whenever I’ve gone to battle.” 

“It seems so… painful and unreliable. What if they don’t feel the same way and betray you?” she attempted to ask the question without revealing her own insecurities but Sokka’s inquisitive blue eyes pierced through her question. 

He held her gaze as he contemplated his answer. Sokka broke the contact as his eyes settled on the flames dancing in front of him. 

“You must know a lot about fire since you’re a firebender, right?”

“Obviously…”

“Well, in the South Pole we need fire as well to live in the harsh climate. Without it, you’d die within minutes once hypothermia sets in. Every family has a hearth that they all use for cooking, forging tools and warmth. Now if that fire goes out, you’d be in big trouble if you didn’t have spark rocks or something to start a fire, right? So what do you do? The easiest thing to do would be to ask your neighbors if you can borrow a bit of their flame. Afterall, their hearth won’t lose any less heat if you were to bring a lantern and take some back to your place.”

Azula was not following his train of thought. Her confusion must have been splayed across her face since he continued.

“Love is like a flame. You have to take care of it and protect it but if you starve the flame of air it’ll poof! vanish. If you bring two candles together, they become stronger and once they separate they don’t become weaker. This campfire in front of us could light a thousand candles and it’ll still shine so brilliantly without losing any of its strength. Love may seem like a weakness to you princess, but I think that you just haven’t had a reason to believe otherwise.”

“What if you don’t deserve to share that warmth?”

Sokka raised his eyebrow at the question, “Surely everyone who wants to be loved deserves it. Why would you say that?”

She stared stoically at the fireplace as she began to play with the flames. The warmth was comforting as the color changed from orange to blue in her hands. 

“Some people are born monsters. They're only good at being feared and being used to instill fear.”

“If you’re referring to yourself, I think you’re wrong. You’re not a monster. You’re just a bitchy, smartass, spoiled princess with no social skills and a propensity for violence.”

“E-excuse me?” Azula sputtered in disbelief, “How dare you speak to me like that.”

“What? I just described Toph as well! Did you expect me to say something else? I know we're having a heart to heart here but I told you that I wouldn’t lie to you. You think that you’re a monster but I’ve actually met real monsters. One turned out to be just a naked swap dude waterbending vines but that’s not the point. What I’m trying to say is that you have a choice and more importantly a chance to be someone different. You can prove to your mother and Zuko that you’re not the monster you think they think you are.”

“You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

“But I’m not wrong.” he grinned triumphantly, “I’m telling you… you have it in you to be loved as much, maybe even more than you were ever feared. Spirits, I’ll teach you if you'll listen to what I say. I could help you make friends or even find a boyfriend if you want.”

The campfire doubled in size and blazed angrily at Sokka’s comment as he fell off of the log he was sitting on. He rubbed his sore bottom as he stood up and brushed the dirt off his clothes

“Okay, okay… a girlfriend it is then.”


End file.
